The disclosure relates generally to fiber optic connector sub-assemblies, and more particularly to a fiber optic connector sub-assembly that includes a front-loading locking ferrule holder, which may be used in assembly of fiber optic connectors. Related components, devices and methods are also disclosed.
Benefits of utilizing optical fiber include extremely wide bandwidth and low noise operation. Because of these advantages, optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to broadband voice, video, and data transmission in communications networks. As a result, communications networks include a number of optical interconnection points in fiber optic equipment and between fiber optic cables in which optical fibers must be interconnected via fiber optic connections. To conveniently provide these fiber optic connections, fiber optic connectors are provided. A fiber optic connector includes a housing that provides internal components for receiving, supporting, protecting, and aligning one or more end portions of optical fibers exposed from a fiber optic cable(s) when mated with other fiber optic connectors or adapters provided in fiber optic equipment or fiber optic cables. Fiber optic connectors may be installed on fiber optic cables in the field. Alternatively, fiber optic cables may be “pre-connectorized” during the manufacturing of the fiber optic cables.
In this regard, a fiber optic connector typically employs a fiber optic connector sub-assembly having a plurality of components. For example, FIG. 1 shows a view of an exemplary fiber optic connector sub-assembly 10 for a conventional SC-type connector. The connector sub-assembly 10 is assembled by inserting a ferrule holder 12 having a ferrule 14 mounted thereon into a rear opening 16 of an inner housing 18. The ferrule 14 extends through the inner housing 18 to a front opening (not shown) of the inner housing 18. A spring 20 is then disposed around the end of the ferrule holder 12 and a crimp body 22 is inserted into the rear opening 16 of the inner housing 18 around the ferrule holder 12 and spring 20. The crimp body 22 has a plurality of radial teeth 24 that align with grooves 26 within the rear opening 16 of the inner housing 18, and a snap fit flange 28 that securely mates with a complementary snap fit feature (not shown) within the inner housing 18. An unterminated fiber optic cable 30 can then be passed through the crimp body 22 to be mated with the ferrule holder 12 for final assembly of the connectorized optical cable.
These and other methods of assembling fiber optic cable connectors include a number of mechanical steps and typically may include manual labor. The influence of manual labor in the assembly process provides cost, affects consistency, and can decrease throughput in processing fiber optic connector terminations. Automated fiber optic connector termination processes for fiber optic cable preparations have been employed to reduce manual labor influence, but at significant capital costs. Even so, these automated fiber optic connector termination processes may not be flexible with respect to terminating varieties of fiber optic connectors or fiber optic cable types. Further, with these fiber optic connector termination processes, if one fiber optic connector termination fails, it must be reworked or the entire fiber optic cable must scrapped. In either case, the fiber optic cable assembly can be delayed, thereby disrupting fiber optic cable assembly throughput and increasing scrapped fiber optic cables, increasing costs as a result.
No admission is made that any reference cited herein constitutes prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of any cited documents.